The ,terrible mistake, was the contemporary utilitarian philosophy, expounded in Hard Times (1854) as the Philosophy of Fact by the hard-headed disciplinarian Thomas Gradgrind. But the novel, Dickens,s shortest, is more than a polemical tract for the times; the tragic story of Louisa Gradgrind and her father is one of Dickens,s triumphs. When Louisa, trapped in a loveless marriage, falls prey to a... more...

The ,terrible mistake, was the contemporary utilitarian philosophy, expounded in Hard Times (1854) as the Philosophy of Fact by the hard-headed disciplinarian Thomas Gradgrind. But the novel, Dickens,s shortest, is more than a polemical tract for the times; the tragic story of Louisa Gradgrind and her father is one of Dickens,s triumphs. When Louisa, trapped in a loveless marriage, falls prey to an idle seducer, the crisis forces her father to reconsider his cherished system. Yet even as the dev   less...

In 18th-century Scotland, most miners pledged their sons to work in the mines until infirmity or death. Mack McAsh takes exception to this and escapes to London. But his rebellious spirit is not quelled, and he fights against the companies that control the docks. Throughout the novel, his path constantly crosses that of the highborn Lizzie Hallim, a hometown girl who becomes his lover. Together, t... more...

In 18th-century Scotland, most miners pledged their sons to work in the mines until infirmity or death. Mack McAsh takes exception to this and escapes to London. But his rebellious spirit is not quelled, and he fights against the companies that control the docks. Throughout the novel, his path constantly crosses that of the highborn Lizzie Hallim, a hometown girl who becomes his lover. Together, the formidable pair may just be able to change the injustices in their world. Copyright (C) Muze Inc.   less...

Ex-military cop Jack Reacher is assigned to protect the vice president-elect, Senator Brook Armstrong, from an assassin who has been sending threatening letters and killing innocent men whose last names happen to be Armstrong--just to show that he,s serious. As Reacher tries to determine the identity of this diabolical adversary, he discovers that he has feelings for a female Secret Service agent.... more...

Ex-military cop Jack Reacher is assigned to protect the vice president-elect, Senator Brook Armstrong, from an assassin who has been sending threatening letters and killing innocent men whose last names happen to be Armstrong--just to show that he,s serious. As Reacher tries to determine the identity of this diabolical adversary, he discovers that he has feelings for a female Secret Service agent. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.   less...